Is Athing Mu update?

I think we've seen the last of Athing Mu. She hasn't posted on social media since her wedding a year ago. She hasn't raced since July 2025, where she did poorly. She hasn't been sighted working out at any track in the DFW area.

Additionally, her husband has worked in private equity for over a decade. He probably makes at least mid-six figure income so their financial future is secure. Plus, he is 14 years old than Athing Mu, so she probably leans on him heavily for advice.

She has no degree, no realistic shot at modeling, and the situation training under Kersee was probably pretty awful when she was forced to move up to the 1500. She is financially secure. And most of all...

To get to the top, athletes almost always have a burning desire for competition. Whether she ever had that desire is unknown, because winning was so easy for her in her early years. It's pretty obvious that she no longer has... or never had... that desire.

Mu’s husband is, to my knowledge, about 17 years older than her. And honestly, their place in Dallas doesn’t exactly scream mid–six-figure income.

I genuinely think Athing, being quite naive and not particularly well educated, got completely wrapped around the finger of a seasoned “finance bro,” who, in turn, landed himself a “model wannabe.”

The fact that, despite living close to multiple track facilities and gyms, Mu hasn’t been seen training at all strongly suggests she’s done with her athletic career. At this point, it wouldn’t be surprising if she’s already shifting her focus to starting a family.

Is it? High pressure? Not exactly Michaela Shiffrin. I suspect she is recognized by less people on the street post college than in college. I should be more understanding but if not having any kids and being young and running around a track full time is pressure? Life is going to be tough

Also if not a a pro runner, will the modeling still be there? I hope all this is just a series of injuries that she needs to get clear of. She has a ton of time left to be a comeback story

I understand what you're saying. But as a guy in his 50s with a family and a successful career who, way back in the day, was good but not great (ran post-collegiately for a while, but never made it as a pro)... I'll say that nothing in my life has come close to the pressure I felt as an athlete. My mom sometimes laughs about the fact that she occasionally still gets "exam panic" dreams; my equivalent is sitting in the call room before an overly crowded 1,500.

Her husband must have estrogen whipped her pretty good. She's sitting pretty and too comfortable, different setting for her than when she was a world beater.

Actually Athing Mu posts stories on Instagram often, but not one of them has had anything to do with running since her last race 8 or 9 months ago. Not a photo of a track, or of her in a Nike uniform, or of her jogging, or of another runner that she is friends with. Nothing track related at all. That's not a good sign.

Let's face it folks. Athing Mu has moved on from track and field.

I wish i was good enough to have had that pressure. Life is crazy when you are young. I always remind my kids on meet day that they chose to be there, nobody is making them come to the meet. On some level maybe that helps them see that this is all a luxury not a necessity. Create a social circle though athletics, make it fun make it competitive. Fun and competitive are not mutually exclusive. IDK, maybe Mu didn't have a good dynamic like-minded group around her?

How does that work being under a nike contract? She has no obligations to compete at all? Or has she simply broken the contract and is no longer sponsored by Nike?

she’s now a squat, very short, chubby man from Texas going by Thing’um

Right after we get an update on Alan Webb's triathlon career....

An athlete with a Nike contract has to compete on a regular basis in order to maintain their contract, unless they are injured.

During the pandemic in 2020, when there weren't many meets, some Nike athletes convinced meet directors to do TWO meets on ONE day on the same track, one meet in the morning and one meet in the afternoon. That way the athletes could technically count it as two meets that they competed in. They did that because the contract of many of those athletes required them to compete in at least 10 meets per year in order to stay under contract with Nike.

So if Athing Mu doesn't race this year, then her Nike contact would be cancelled. However, Nike and Athing Mu don't have to publicly announce that her Nike contract has ended. And it's possible that Athing Mu didn't want to wait until her contract was cancelled, and she might have already told Nike that she is retired and she might have already asked Nike to cancel the contract.

Contracts almost always go from the end of one Olympics to the next Olympic year. Meaning that her Nike contract is most likely a 4 year contract from 2025 to 2028. So if she races, she would still get paid for 3 more years - this year, next year, and 2028.

It's amazing to me that someone would hate racing that much, that they would be willing to give up an annual income of $500,000 - $1 million just to avoid running a few races. Multiply that by three years, and that is $1.5 - $3 million she would give up. That's a lot of money to give up.

Silent ban makes sense. She fell in the US champs where she was last relevant. Perhaps instructed or recommended. Coach has history of that stuff. She should have owned the 8 for over a decade. Nope. All the best to her going forward, of course. Whatever that may entail.

Did she marry rich? She seems unmotivated in many facets of life now.

I mean she could have left him? She’s an adult with a brain. Plenty of athletes are done dirty and leave coaches.

Mu has raced 11 times in the past 921 days since her victory in the DL Final.

Sept 17, 2023 - 1:54.97 AR - DL Final 1st

Nine months with zero races.

June 21, 2024 - 2:01.73 - Olympic Trials Prelims - 3rd in heat

June 23, 2024 - 1:58.84 - Olympic Trials Semifinal - 1st

June 24, 2024 - 2:19.69 - Olympic Trials Final - 9th (fell)

July 19, 2024 - 2:00.29 - Holloway Classic - 5th (first loss to an American in a final in 1,617 days excluding her fall - Wiley, Baker, Gearing)

Nine months with zero races.

April 16, 2025 - DNF in 5000m - Mt SAC - ran 3000m in 9:42 before dropping out; practiced "running in a pack" with 3 other runners.

May 11, 2025 - 4:21.18 (1500m) - Cal State Last Chance Meet - 1st

May 24, 2025 - 4:10.70 (1500m) - Track Fest - 2nd

July 5, 2025 - 2:03.44 - Prefontaine Classic - 10th

July 12, 2025 - 2:00.42 - Ed Murphey Classic - 6th

July 31, 2025 - 2:00.06 - USATF Outdoor Prelim - 1st

August 1, 2025 - 1:59.9 - USATF Outdoor Semifinal - 4th

Hasn't been seen at a track in 237 days (just shy of eight months) and counting.

I agree with you; but I don't think Mu ever found 800m running easy. She made it look easy, but she had such a long stride, and to run like that takes a huge amount of power and fitness. As soon as that balance is off slightly - marginally reduced fitness or a very slight weight gain - it becomes very difficult to maintain that stride length.

I think she did care very much about winning. Her effort when she closed in on Keeley and effectively, but legally blocked her from coming past her on the inside, indicates that she was putting everything into winning. I just don't think she can cope with being not quite so good. Running 2 minutes last year wasn't terrible. For all but the most elite runners, its just an early season or early fitness time that will come down with racing. But for someone like Mu, it must have felt horrible, slow and hard work. She can see how her main competition has moved on. She's done it all already so whats the point when she can have a good time living her new life with her husband?

I suspect she does miss it though, I wouldn't be surprised if she is trying not to think about it. Its a pity she didn't join another coaching group. I do think she's walked away from the sport though, and I think with so much time out, it will be impossible for her ever to come back at the same level, even in her mid to late twenties.

Athing Mu is Nothing More.

it sucks. if we ran the 800m entirely in lanes, i don’t think this would have happened.

Pro ladies are ruthless, they would never let Mu feel safe running with those long legs ever again

That seems to be the most logical explanation.

That, or they've been trying to get pregnant.

She's not modeling (that ship has sailed).